DCC neglects sycamores in reserves —passes control and eradication cost to city residents

Acer pseudoplatanus, the sycamore or sycamore maple, is considered to be invasive in New Zealand and is also considered to be an environmental weed in some parts of Australia.

Acer pseudoplatanus is a species of maple native to Central Europe and Southwestern Asia, from France eastwards to Ukraine, and south in mountains to northern Spain, northern Turkey and the Caucasus, but cultivated and naturalised elsewhere.

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### ODT Online Sun, 15 Feb 2015
DCC prepares for sycamore war
By Dan Hutchinson – The Star
The Dunedin City Council has sycamore trees firmly in its sights as the invasive plant threatens to choke the life out of the town belt. Parks manager Lisa Wheeler said the town belt was becoming “inundated” with fast-growing trees. […] “The town belt is getting inundated again with it. Leith Valley, through the university … over the next few years you are going to see an increase in seedlings coming through.” She said the council had done a small mapping exercise in the West Harbour where there was a big problem with the trees and would now look to work with community groups and residents throughout the city.
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“A ghastly mass of stumps and branches, rampant ivy, aluminium weed, blackberry and sycamore saplings” had been left behind.
–Pat Petersen, concerned resident

### ODT Online Sun, 15 Feb 2015
Bush clearing work upsets resident
By John Gibb
Recent tree cutting and pruning operations on tracks near Jubilee Park have destroyed “magical bush walks” there, Dunedin resident Pat Petersen says. Mrs Petersen (79), who has lived near the Belleknowes park for the past 48 years and is a regular walker of nearby tracks in the Town Belt, said she was “very upset” by the continuing work. […] She said “swathes” of broad-leafed coprosma, rangiora and, to a lesser extent, five-finger and karamu had recently been “cut and slashed” beside the bush walks.
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Earlier….

### ODT Online Tue, 14 May 2013
Sycamores in the firing line
By Debbie Porteous
Sycamore trees are in the crosshairs of Dunedin city councillors, who have asked council staff to identify the implications of registering them as a noxious plant. Councillors also supported, in principle, initiatives to control and eradicate the trees on all public land, including roadsides and rail corridors. The decision was taken by councillors considering the 2013-14 annual plan.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: delphinium.co.nz – Kereru (New Zealand native wood pigeon) resting in sycamore tree